SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/pilot-compass-northerly-turning-error

Starting a turn from a northerly heading in the Northern Hemisphere, the magnetic compass does what?

It lags behind the turn.

  1. Leads the turn
  2. Lags behind the turn ✔
  3. Shows the turn correctly

Why: When you bank, the compass card tilts and Earth's magnetic dip pulls on it. Turning from north, the compass lags behind the real heading. Turning from south, it leads.

Huh, didn't know that: The magnetic compass only reads correctly when its card is level.

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Sources

  1. FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C), Chapter 8 https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/faa-h-8083-25c.pdf

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